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OPM artist Waltz reveals why he chose the fleeting image of a firefly over a distant star for his new Tagalog single, “Alitaptap.”

Every love song needs an image to hold its emotions together. For OPM artist Waltz, that image in his new Tagalog single “Alitaptap” almost became something more familiar: a star.

Waltz initially considered using “bituin” as the song's central metaphor, drawing from the familiar imagery often found in Filipino love songs. But he eventually realized that a star—distant and seemingly constant—did not capture the kind of love he wanted to express.

“Ang bituin, malayo. Hindi mo talaga nahahawakan. Pero ang alitaptap, malapit. Sandali lang, pero totoo," he explains.

Unlike a star that stays fixed in the distance, a firefly appears close, shines briefly, and disappears before it can be held. For Waltz, that fleeting yet intimate quality felt closer to how certain people enter and leave a person's life.

That distinction also shapes the structure of “Alitaptap.” The verses remain patient and unresolved, gradually circling around the song's central emotion without immediately naming it. The chorus eventually arrives at its key line, “Mapa sakin ka na,” deliberately held back until the right moment.

While delaying the emotional payoff until the hook is a familiar songwriting technique, Waltz's choice of words gives the line a more personal and vulnerable quality. Rather than sounding like a demand, it comes across as a quiet request.

“Gusto ko, kapag narinig nila yung 'mapasa'kin ka na,' hindi nila maramdaman na inuutusan sila,” Waltz says, pausing before he finishes the thought.

Then, he continues, “Kasi, ang totoong malalim na pagmamahal, hindi marunong mag-utos. Marunong lang humiling at manatiling naghihintay nang walang kapalit.”

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Released under Ant Savvy Artist Management (AS Creatives & Entertainment Inc.) and distributed via Symphonic, “Alitaptap” extends the song's visual concept into its rollout.

The release features a consistent warm, gold-lit aesthetic across its platforms, complementing the song's central firefly imagery instead of competing with it.

In “Alitaptap,” Waltz demonstrates how a seemingly simple songwriting decision can influence an entire song—from its central metaphor and structure to the emotion behind its most important line.

“Alitaptap” by Waltz is out now on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms.